Made of wood, paint, hide (holding bumper bar to body)

Rectangular back board with hoop attached with hide strips and attached footboard; elaborate relief carving on back, incised image on outside surface of footboard and on outside of hoop

Too beautifully done to have been made for sale, virtuoso carving showing braiding and weaving from back. Subtle evidence of wear eg contact points where it has leaned up against surfaces. "Braided" effect of wood at back is extraordinary, we can't think of other examples. Motifs around back board (running diamonds, foliate/leaf patterns) do seem to resonate with other 19th C beadwork we have seen. We think this is nineteenth century.

On-site researchers: this is an exceptionally beautiful cradleboard Ruth: the tree on the bottom of the foot board indicates this may be Hodenosaunee. Almost all cradelboards identified as Hodenosaunee in museums have characteristic polychrome painted floral motifs on the back. If this one is Hodenosaunee it may represent an earlier style. Because the intricate interlaced and braided patterns of the relief carving and the relatively naturalistic style of the incised tree suggest influence from the folk art traditions brought by European settlers, it may date from the period between the end of the American Revolution and the mid-19th century, when the painted floral style became established.

first half of the 19th century

Unknown artist, cradleboard. Currently at National Museums Scotland, A.1928.670. Item photographed and described as part of a GRASAC research trip December 2007 in which the author took part; GRASAC item id 26422.

9 Apr 2007 Ruth Phillips, On-site researchers: Cory Willmott, Heidi Bohaker, Laura Peers, Ruth Phillips, Keith Jamieson, Alan Corbiere, Henrietta Lidchi, Robert Storrie, Chantal Knowles, Brenda McGoff